Ep. 3: The Power of Du'a: Maryam bint Imran (as)
One of the best examples of living tawakkul is Maryam (as), or Mary, mother of Jesus (as). From profound du'as that understand the wisdom and limitless generosity of God, to unhesitating boldness in standing up for her beliefs, to unwavering faith and hope in God amidst every trial, to reassurances and help from Allah Himself—Maryam's story is simultaneously miraculous and relatable.
Chosen by Allah and forever memorialized in the Qur'an with an entire chapter named after her, she's an example of servitude, steadfastness, devotion, strength, and greatness for every believer.
Tune in to the episode 3 of Upheld by Allah: Women in the Qur'an with Ustadha Lobna Mulla.
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Transcript
This transcript was auto-generated using AI and may contain misspellings. Have you ever felt alone? Felt like you couldn't manage a difficult situation on your own? Have you ever gone through a difficult situation and thought, why me? What did I do to deserve this? Good people go through bad situations. And although it's hard to think positively in the midst of a painful trial, holding onto the hope in Allah can give you an unimaginable strength. There is a young woman praised in the Qur'an whose story reminds us of how faith and hope, taqwa and tawakkul can get us through any trial. Meet Maryam bint Imran Alayhi Salaam. Maryam was the daughter of Imran and Hinnah bint Faqood. Maryam Alayhi Salaam's story starts with a promise her mother, Hinnah, made when she found out she was expecting a child, an oath dedicating her unborn child to the service of Allah. Since it wasn't customary for women to worship in the temple, her uncle Zakariya Alayhi Salaam, who was a carpenter, built for her a separate room in the temple, a mihrab, so she could stay and worship Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la. Now there was a phenomenon that happened to Maryam Alayhi Salaam, and her explanation of it is profound, giving us insight into her deep understanding of Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la. Whenever Zakariya Alayhi Salaam visited her in the mihrab, he found her supplied with provisions. He proclaimed, Oh Maryam, where did this come from? She replied, it is from Allah. Surely Allah provides for whoever He wills without limit. Whenever Zakariya Alayhi Salaam would visit Maryam in the mihrab to check on her, it is said that she would have fruits that were out of season. So in the winter, she would have summer fruits, and in the summer, she would have winter fruits. Without refrigerators, having foods out of season would be impossible. Yet Maryam Alayhi Salaam understood it is from Allah. And what's even more profound is her statement, Allah provides for whoever He wills without limit. Let's think about that for a moment. Do we sometimes hold back from asking Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la
for a better health, a spouse, more money, a child to be successful and so on? Why? Do we not feel that we are worthy? Or worse yet, maybe we feel that I have sinned, so how can I ask Allah for things I don't deserve? Or maybe your dua doesn't seem feasible. Like if you're struggling to make ends meet, you might think, what's the point of asking for money? Where will it come from? If these thoughts are holding you back, remind yourself of what young Maryam Alayhi Salaam so casually and confidently told Zakariya Alayhi Salaam. Allah provides for whoever He wills without limit. It's out of Allah's mercy and generosity that He doesn't necessarily hold back from us just because we don't deserve it. And more importantly, although it's hard for us to understand limitlessness, that is the reality of what Allah can provide. So when you need help or want something from Allah, your only job is to ask with certainty that Allah will answer your dua and leave the rest up to Him. You don't need to figure out the how, that is for Allah. Now look how powerful and moving Maryam Alayhi Salaam statement was. It inspired Zakariya Alayhi Salaam at that moment, Hu nalika da'a Zakariya rabbah. At that very, you know, then and there, Zakariya Alayhi Salaam, he asked Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la for what he always wanted, a child to carry on his mission. Despite the fact that both Zakariya Alayhi Salaam and his wife were well past the age of being able to have children, he still made this dua. Allah says in the Quran, then and there Zakariya Alayhi Salaam prayed to his Lord saying, my Lord, surely my bones have become brittle and gray hair has spread across my head, but I have never been disappointed in my prayer to you, my Lord. Zakariya Alayhi Salaam describes the physical signs of aging, knowing that from a biological standpoint, this request isn't possible, but that he has never been disappointed in his duas to Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la. So he still asked from Allah what he wanted. He made the ask, the what, and left the how and when up to Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la. And that was the result of that dua,
the glad tidings from the angels of a baby boy, a righteous child, Yahya, who would grow up to be an upstanding prophet. That's tawakkal. That's asking Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la who gives to whom he wills without limit. And this is a wonderful reminder for all of us to seek the company of those who will remind us of Allah in action and in words. Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam mentioned in a hadith that Maryam was one of the women amongst Asiya, Khadija, and Fatima who perfected their faith. Maryam Alaihi Salam loved to worship Allah, make dhikr, reflect, and so on. So during those days of the month when she couldn't continue her worship in the temple, she would leave the mihrab and head towards the east and continue her worship there. It is at one of these moments that a handsome man approached Maryam Alaihi Salam. This beautiful man was Jibreel, who Allah had sent in human form as he usually did when he would send Jibreel as a messenger. Of course, Maryam didn't know this, but look how she interacted with him before he even opened his mouth. She set her boundaries while being respectful and at the same time, reminding this man to fear Allah. She appealed, I truly seek refuge in the most compassionate from you, if you are God-fearing. Again, Maryam's words provide for us another learning moment. When it comes to setting boundaries for herself, maintaining her modesty, and reminding this man to also respect his own modesty, Maryam doesn't hesitate. She is respectful while being firm in her reminder. Sometimes youth and really people of all ages find it difficult to speak up for what they want or don't want, especially when it comes to maintaining their Iman in public spaces, in social settings, and even in family settings. Thoughts of, I don't wanna seem weird or I don't wanna make somebody feel bad by rejecting an offer to do anything outside of what our faith permits, prevents us from doing what we actually want to do. And fortunately, peer pressure, again, a phenomenon of all age groups, sometimes overrides this boundary setting and we suffer negative consequences because of this timidness to stand up. So here, Maryam Alayhi Salaam's action reminds us to be bold.
So returning back to her story, Jibriya Alayhi Salaam then reveals that he brings glad tidings of a child. Just as Zakariya Alayhi Salaam was shocked when he received glad tidings of the coming of Yahya, Maryam too was even more shocked since she was never even with the man to facilitate the biological possibility of having a child. Jibriya Alayhi Salaam reminds her that it's easy for Allah and the matter had already been decided. Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la says, he replied, so will it be. Your Lord says, it is easy for me and so will we make him a sign for humanity and a mercy from us. It is a matter already decreed. Now Maryam is expecting a child and not any child, but a prophet who will be a sign to humanity and a mercy from Allah. Let's take a moment to process this concept of dua, especially at the intersection of three righteous people, the mother of Maryam, Hanna, Zakariya, her brother-in-law and Maryam. Hanna asked for a child, hoping for it to be a boy so that she could dedicate him to the service of Allah. Although she didn't get exactly what she wanted, Hanna ended up getting so much more, a daughter chosen and purified by Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la and a righteous grandson who played a pivotal role, not only in his time, but also when he returns to earth in the future. Zakariya Alayhi Salaam on the other hand, made dua for a son and got exactly what he wanted and even more than what he could have expected in a righteous son like Yahya. And then you have Maryam Alayhi Salaam, who didn't ask for a child and yet she was bestowed with one. SubhanAllah, in Hanna's case, you have her crying for the blessing she received despite being tested heavily with her husband's death. And on the flip side, you have Maryam crying after receiving a blessing that many women even today wish they could have. Yet she experienced her most difficult trials due to those blessings. The moral of this part of the story for us is summarized so succinctly by Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, when he said in a Hadith, amazing is the affairs of the believer for all of his affairs are good. And this is only the case for the believer.
If something good happens to him, he is thankful and that is good for him. And if something bad happens to him and he is patient, that is good for him as well. SubhanAllah, we never know what blessings will come as a result of our trials. And we never know what trials will come as a result of our blessings. But either way, shukr and sabr are our answers, gratitude and patience. Now, going back to Maryam Aleyhissalam's story, we now see she's about to face two of the most difficult challenges in her young life. Remember, she's probably only around 16 years old and she has to navigate childbirth alone and face her people who may stone her and her baby due to their assumption that she had committed adultery. When you think of these monumental trials as observers, we must wonder, how is a young woman able to go through these trials all by herself? First and foremost, it is out of Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala's mercy. In addition, it is due to her mother's dua. Parents, never belittle the power of your dua. When you wish for them success, healing, guidance, don't underestimate how far your duas can go in being a sadqa jadia for your child. Literally, a gift that keeps on giving. Like asking guidance for your child and their guidance is a source of guidance for others and those in turn inspire others to do good. You literally have just invested in a halal perpetual annuity. And finally, her ability to overcome the trials is due to the spiritual muscle she has been flexing since she was a child. Maryam had literally been in spiritual training her whole life. She was ready for this moment, whether she felt it at the exact moment of receiving the news of a son or not. All of that worship, salah, dua, dhikr, prepared her soul to be able to shoulder these weighty tasks of childbirth and facing her people alone with a baby in her arms. When we think of physically training to be the best basketball player or a marathon runner, what comes to mind? Practice, practice, practice. Training, training, and more training. The more you put your muscles to the test, the better, faster, and stronger
they will help you perform. The same is with the spiritual muscle of our heart. The more we learn about Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala through prayer, contemplation, connecting to him through Quran, through good deeds, the more we will be ready for those difficult moments that will come in our lifetime. What's remarkable about when Maryam goes into labor now is that she is not at home with the comfort of her mother or family. There's no one to help her. And as the pains of labor intensify, she cries out, oh, that I would have died before this moment and to be a forgotten thing. Allah says in the Quran, then the pains of labor drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She cried, alas, I wish I had died before this and was a thing long forgotten. Now this is not due to the pains of labor or out of not accepting her test, but rather from the worry of what her people will think. Again, she's not worried about what people will think about her personally, but rather the effect their accusation will have on their perception of the deen. Will they mock religious people thinking, oh, look at what the religious people do, falling into sin? She's worried not about what people think of her, but more from a dawah perspective. Yet Allah does not leave her alone. He sends Jibreel to comfort her saying, don't be sad. Allah says, so a voice reassured her from below her, do not grieve, your Lord has provided a stream at your feet. What a beautiful reminder for Maryam Alayhi Salaam and for us when we are faced with difficulty. Don't be sad when you're going through these difficult tests. While it's normal to experience this emotion during tribulations, the idea is not to lose hope. So in Maryam Alayhi Salaam's difficult moment, Allah sent a stream to cool her and nourish her. For us, that stream can be a friend, an unexpected gift, a motivation to pray where you previously found it difficult and so on. Jibreel continues to instruct her by saying, and shake the trunk of this palm tree towards you. It will drop fresh ripe dates upon you. A couple of points to reflect on here. One, that even when we ask Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la for help, we still have to put an effort. We don't wait for a package of comfort to fall from the heavens. Here, even though Maryam Alayhi Salaam
must be tired after giving birth, she's told to shake the palm tree, which if anyone has tried, the trunk of a palm tree is so solid, you cannot shake it. But what she's being asked to do here is to make the effort. And again, Allah will provide the rest. The dates will fall, although it wouldn't be due to her actual physical effort to make them fall, it would be by Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la's will. Secondly, what's amazing about the mention of dates here is that dates are known to contain numerous nutrients and phytochemicals. So they are extremely nourishing, especially for a woman who has just given birth. And some of those nutrients are specifically designed to activate lactation in a woman who has just given birth, while at the same time containing minerals like iron, which is especially beneficial in replenishing levels lost during delivery. SubhanAllah, look at the mercy of Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la how he provided for his servant. He provided food and water in a harsh environment to not only help in her postpartum recovery, but to provide ease emotionally and psychologically. Being able to hear and see the stream is soothing, especially after going through such a physically and emotionally demanding delivery. And to provide Maryam with nourishment, which allows Maryam to provide nourishment for baby Isa Alayhi Salaam. There's another interesting connection between the provisions that Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la provides Maryam, both in the beginning of her story and in the end. SubhanAllah, with no effort at all, when she's in the mihrab, she's provided with special food just like that, as if to facilitate that deep faith in Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la. And then later when she really needs the support, again, the nourishment appears out of nowhere, as in the case of the stream. And with some effort, she's provided with dates that would typically demand great physical effort, as if it is a reminder to Maryam that Allah has her back. He will take care of her. So she need not worry when she's about to face the biggest test. Going back to her people with baby Isa Alayhi Salaam in her arms, what will she do? What will she say? Actually, absolutely nothing. Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la says, so eat and drink and put your heart at ease. But if you see any of the people say, I have vowed silence to the most compassionate.
So I'm not talking to anyone today. And actually that vow of silence, she's supposed to just signal the fact that she's not gonna talk. She can't talk and say, I'm not supposed to talk. The thought of not being able to defend oneself can be terrifying. Yet Maryam, through her devotion and perfect faith, knows deep down that Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la is with her, just as He has always been. And just as she suspected, her people did accuse her of all kinds of things. Then she returned to her people, carrying him. They said in shock, Oh Maryam, you have certainly done a horrible thing. Oh sister of Harun, your father was not an indecent man, nor was your mother unchaste. So she pointed to the baby. They exclaimed, how can we talk to someone who is an infant in the cradle? Isa Alayhi Salaam declared, I am truly a servant of Allah. He has destined me to be given the scripture and to be a prophet. How could Maryam know that her baby would speak on her behalf? How could she have ever expected such a thing? All she had to do was to let go and trust in Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la. Despite all of these major challenges, each one of them being extremely difficult to bear on their own, Maryam never questioned Allah's will. And what was her reward? Although in the moment she wished she would be forgotten, Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la memorialized her in the Quran forever. Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la says, there is also the example of Maryam, the daughter of Imran, who guarded her chastity. So we breathed into her womb through our angel, Jibreel. She testified to the words of her Lord and his scriptures and was one of the sincerely devout. In Surah Al-Tahrim, Allah mentions that she is one of the devout. He mentions her as an example for all believers for all time, not just for the believing women of the time. Look at all of the ways in which Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la has honored Maryam Alayhi Salaam. First, by naming a chapter in the Quran after her and naming one of the greatest prophets of all time, the one who is still alive and will return to this earth. He is attributed back to his mother, none other than Isa Alayhi Salaam, Isa Ibn Maryam. He could have been attributed back to his grandfather, Imran Alayhi Salaam.
Yet Allah chose that he would be attributed back to his beloved and esteemed mother. And not only that, Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la doesn't tie her name back to Isa Alayhi Salaam, which reminds us that her greatness was not necessarily only due to her being the mother of one of the greatest men to have ever lived. She is great, pure, chaste, and chosen by Allah on her own merit. Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la says, and remember when the angel said, Oh Maryam, surely Allah has selected you, purified you, and chosen you over all the women of the world. This entire story of Maryam Alayhi Salaam is such a powerful reminder for us to think positively of Allah, to trust in him. He has shown you so many signs that he is with you. Reflect on those signs, those blessings, those many miracles that he has bestowed upon you. To give you hope in those difficult times, to keep your tawakkul. Maryam's story is also a strong reminder to flex your spiritual muscle, feed it with good deeds, nourish it with good company, beautify it with worship, and the remembrance of Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la. And that too will help you weather any storm that may come our way.
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